Tafadzwa Nyikadzino

President Emmerson Mngangagwa has given the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) four weeks to complete investigations of corruption allegations raised against ZESA’s Executive Chairman Dr Sydney Gata and his entire board.

In a statement, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said President Mnangagwa suspended Dr Gata and the entire Zesa Board yesterday and instructed the ZACC Chairperson Justice Loice Matanda Moyo to immediately investigate graft allegations raised against Dr Gata, his entire Zesa board and the electricity sector as a whole.

“His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has, in terms of Section 16 (1) (a) read together with Section 16 (1) (d) of the public Entities Corporate Governance Act, suspended the Executive Chairman of the ZESA Holdings, Dr Sydney Gata and the entire ZESA Board Members with immediate effect, ”

“His Excellency the President has also directed the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Justice Loice Matanda Moyo to immediately undertake thorough investigations into the following issues: (1) the allegations against the Executive Chairman by Honourable Minister of Energy and Power Development Advocate Fortune Chasi and (2) Any other underlying corrupt activites bedevilling ZESA Board members and the electricity sector as a whole, ” reads the statement.

Dr Misheck Sibanda said President Mnangagwa expects ZACC to complete its investigations in four weeks and table a report on its findings.

Dr Gata was recently suspended and barred from entering the power utility’s headquarters.

He faces allegations of abusing five ZESA’s pool vehicles, scuttling the disciplinary hearing of a top executive, spending $10 million on Christmas parties and procedurally sending four consultants to South Africa at Zesa’s expense.

The suspended board is reportedly complicit of corruption as it was allegedly involved in awarding a US$100 million dollar Gwanda solar project to Wicknell Chivhayo without following tender proceedures.